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By the end of this lesson, students will have an understanding of the Mi'kmaq grand council and the way it leads and governs the Mi'kmaq communities.
By the end of this lesson, students will have an understanding of the Mi'kmaq grand council and the way it leads and governs the Mi'kmaq communities.
What is a state or a nation? If students struggle to define this, select one student to find a dictionary and provide a definition to the class once they have found the answer.
The Mi’kmaq had been self governing for hundreds of years through their Grand Council headed in Cape Breton. It served and serves as both spiritual and political authority of the Mi’kmaq people.
So, if the Grand Council acted as an authority to govern the general Mi’kmaq population and we define a “state” as “a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government,” then why would the colonies and future Canada not consider the Mi’kmaq or even mention them in their founding Confederation documents?
The Confederation document that was written in 1867 said that the "Indians' land" of Canada were the responsibility of the federal government.
But, King George III proclaimed in 1763 that the land belonged to the indigenous people unless they agreed to sell it or give it to the new colonial settlers.
The early governments of Canada took the land from the Mi'kmaq.
Mi'kmaq Grand Council
Mi'kmaq Grand Council
The Grand Council TODAY is composed of three main levels of governance that divide by region
At the very top is the Grand chief (kji Saqamaw/kji saqmaw)
The Grand chief oversees the Grand council (Sante’ Mawio’mi) and they discuss things of spiritual and political importance.
The district chiefs are elected to represent several clans.
The local chiefs represent individual clans.
The Grand Councils of the PAST were composed of these positions
Grand Chief (Kji Saqamaw)
Grand Captain (kji’keptan)
Treaty holders & Counsellors (putus)
Soldiers (smagn’is)
Additional Viewing
Additional Viewing
"Joe B. Marshall, Union of Nova Scotia Indians, speaks of past struggles to be recognized in Nova Scotia, Mi'kmaq are part of the land, this cause has allowed Mi'kmaq to be seen and heard, treaties and how settlers and Aboriginals share treaties, and how we should continue to talk and teach these lessons."
Activity: Applying Historic Research
Activity: Applying Historic Research
Choose one of the terms above (kji Saqama, Sante' Mawio'mi, Kji'keptan, Putus, and Smagn'is ). Research that position and create a document containing as much information as you can find about that position on the Grand Council.
For example, you might choose the Kji Saqama (Grand Chief). You would find out what they used to do in the past and what the Kji Saqama does now.
You can use the resources above, beside, and below to research the position you chose.
You must use your own words. You may not copy and paste. Submit the information you found (and reworded) to your teacher.
Stephen Augustine explains his role as hereditary chief in the first few minutes of this video. The whole video is also fascinating!
https://www.cbu.ca/indigenous-affairs/mikmaq-resource-centre/the-mikmaq/
This is a brief overview of the Mi'kmaq created by Unama'ki College at Cape Breton University.
http://www.mikmaweydebert.ca/home/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Pg_94_DOC_MikmawResourceGuide.pdf
This is the Mi'kmaq Resource Guide and is recommended by Unama'ki College at Cape Breton University.
https://www.cbu.ca/indigenous-affairs/mikmaq-resource-centre/mikmaq-resource-guide/mikmaw-timeline/
Mi'kmaq timeline.
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